Arch support



Nov. 6, 1928.

T. K. BALASKAS ARCH SUPPORT Filed OC'b. 27, -1927 Cil Patented Nov. 6, 1928.

THOMAS K. BALASKAS, 0F LEXINGTON, NEBRASKA.

/ARCH SUPPORT.

Application led October 27, 1927 ASerial No. 229,075.

This invention relates to an arch support, one of the objects being to provide a device of this character which acts as a cushion and also is combined with a heel rest, thereby providing a cushioning support for the entire undersurface of the foot.

A further object is to provide a device of this character which does not require the use of metal in its construct-ion, there being used an upper thickness of leather which has a portion of its upper surface cut away t0 con-I form, with the contour of the heel, thereby to provide a recess or depression which will maintain its shape and insure correct position of the heel.

A further object is to provide an arch support so shaped as to provide a wide area for supporting the arch, this raised area extending from one side of the device to apoint ve-ry close to the other side, the maximum supporting area thus provided serving to prevnt the weight of the body .from being deected to the outer side portionof the foot.

port having four bearing points where it Arests upon the insole of the Ishoe, the remaining undersurface of the support being out of contact with the shoe, saidbearing points being located at the heel, the toe, and two points along the inner edge of the arch supporting portion.

A stillV further object is to provide an arch `support which will yield to a limited extent under the weight of a body upon the central portion of the support, thereby providing an elastic or resilient rest for the foot which will return to normal position after the weight has been removeds therefrom. p

With the foregoing and other objects in view which willappear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings, the pre-4 ferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawings, Figure 1`is a top plan view of an arch sup- Figure 2-is a,v bottom plan view thereof. Figure 3 isa s'ide elevation. Figure 'tv is a section" on line 1e-4, Figure 1.

comfortable rest therefor.

Between this recessedheel portion and the toe portion 4 the leather is pressed upwardly to provide an arch support 5 which, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, is extended from one side of the deevice to a point close to the other side.

Asa

matter of fact in practice the distance be- 'tween this inner side of the arch supporting portion 5 and the outer edge 6 of the device is about one-quarter inch or less.

The upper leather piece 1 1s provided with a cushioning pad 7 ofyfelt or other suitable v material extending throughout the width Another object is to provide an arch supand length thereof and this cushioning pad bears upon the bottom piece 8 of soft leather which corresponds in cont-our with the top piece 1. The two pieces 1 and 8 and the cushioning `member are held together by sewingalong the outer vedge and the ends of the device as shown at 9 and'inwardly along the raised or arch supporting portion 5 as shown at 10. The recess or pocket 11 is provided under the arch supporting portion. 5 and that portion of the cushion'arranged thereunder and removably mounted in this pocket 11 is adapted to receive ya reinforcing or stiff- 'ening arch 12 formed or superposed layers of leather skived to proper shape whereby the` arch supporting portion 5 of the top piece 1 is held properly elevated to support the arch of the wearer. This insertable arch 12 can beeasily removed and arches of any other desired ments of the shapes meeting the requireuser can. be substituted. In

comfortably at all points.- The top and 'bottom pieces 1 and 12 converge at the sides and front edges and the cushioning piece is likewise reducedadjacent the edges so as to allow port embodying the present' improvements. the device to taper -of'f at its edges and thus prevent theI foot from' being irritated at 110 these points.

Importance cushioning strip 7 is extended throughout the length of the foot supporting portion of the device and that the heel portion is recessed by skiving so as properly to center'the heel. Consequently the heel is held in proper position and will not be crowded to portion 4. The remaining supports are atV the front and back of the arch supporting portion' at the inside or raised edge thereof;-

The outer edge of the device is `not flat but is bowed from end to end and thus will yield downwardly under the weight of the body but after the weight has been removed it will swing back to normal position. The. device only engages the insole of the shoe positively at the four bearing points needed. At other points it is out of contact or practically out of contact with the shoe.

It has been found in practice that a. device such as described constitutes a Verycomfortable arch support and heel rest and will hold the foot more efficiently in correct position than other supports utilizing metal, leather, or combinations of the two.

` y What is claimed is:

An arch support including a top piece of sole leather, a bottom piece coeXtensive therewith of soft leather, a cushioning layer interposed between and coextensive with the top and bottom pieces, said top piece having its heel portion hollowed to provide a heel receiving recess, there being an arch supporting portion between the heel and toe portions of the top piece, said arch supporting portion being extended from one side to a point close to the opposite side of the top piece, there being a row of stitches extending through the top, bottom, and `intermediate pieces along one'side thereof, along the ends, and along the inner portions of the arch supporting portion, the intermediate piece being connected to the bottom surface of the arch supporting portion, there being a pocket beneath the arch supporting portion of the top piece between the intermediate piece and the bottom` piece, and an arch consisting of superposed layers of leather skived to proper shape removably seated in the pocket beneath the intermediate cushioning strip, the entire arch support being free of metal.-

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature.

TOM. K. BALASKAS. 

